Cranbrook Institute of Science

April 2016

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In This Issue

Rites of Spring

Nature Conservancy Lecture Series

Build After Dark

ScienceNow

Japanese Gardens

BATS: Superheroes of the Night

Summer Camp

Social Media

Spring Break Sale in the Science Shop

Enjoy a 20% discount on all nature kits, books, and crafts in the Science April 4-8. Stop by for Story Hour at 1 and 3pm each day.

We officially welcome spring with activities, lecture, classes, and special events throughout the month. We hope to see you soon.

Celebrate the Rites of Spring During Spring Break

Get ready for the great outdoors and all things "green" when the Institute of Science presents the Rites of Spring April 4 through 8 from 1 to 4pm each day. This exciting week of activities and experiences will help you learn how to live a greener life. Try your hand at activities such as recycled art projects, Trash Trivia, and Water Jeopardy, journey back in time to find out what a canoe trip in the back country of the Great Lakes was like in the 1760's, or get up close to the infamous lampre eel. Rite of Spring activities are free with admission.

The Nature Conservancy Presents Burn Baby Burn!

Fire can be both friend and foe. On April 7, the Nature Conservancy's Rodolfo Zuniga-Villegas visits the Institute of Science to examine the natural role and history of fire in our environment and how reintroducing fire to certain landscapes can benefit both nature and people. Every lecture begins with a Meet and Greet the Scientist and cash bar at 6:30pm, followed by a 7pm lecture and Q & A, ending by 8pm. Tickets are $12 per person for the general public, and $10 for Institute and Nature Conservancy Members. Register online.

CIS After Dark Invites Adults to "Build"

The Institute's popular CIS After Dark evening series invites adults 21+ to see how the world fits together by exploring the building blocks of life, engineering, 3-D printing, and the formation of the atmosphere during Build on April 14 at 7pm. You'll be able to build your own cocktail with the help of local company Wolf Moon Mixers, find out how to build a terrarium with Pets and Things, and engage in a number of engineering challenges. Every CIS After Dark experience is unique and offers the chance to discover and socialize during a kid-free night at the museum. Join us to discover CIS After Dark.

Science in the Kitchen: Microbes and Enzymes and Kimchi, Oh My!

Join us when Chef Brett Nosakowski, of TASTE takes us into the kitchen during the Institute's newest ScienceNOW program on April 16 from 5 to 7pm. Discover the science behind fermentation by investigating how microbes and enzymatic reactions allow for the creation of sourdough bread, kimchi, and more, and improve your scientific understanding of the science in the kitchen. Participants sample delicious 'experiments," and leave with recipes and ingredients for their own fermented dishes. Tickets are $40 for members, and $50 for non-members. To register, call 248 645.3210. For more information about other programs explore ScienceNow.

Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research Looks at Japanese Gardens

In 1915, Cranbrook founders George and Ellen Booth attended the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. Inspired by the exposition's Japanese pavilion, they returned to Cranbrook and transformed a humble rock garden on their country estate in Bloomfield Hills into a serene Japanese garden. Join the Center for Collections and Research at the Institute of Science on April 24 at 3pm when Dr. Kendall Brown, California State University, Long Beach explores the fashion for Japanese gardens in America in the first decades of the 20th century, and learn more about Cranbrook's Japanese Garden. This event is free and preregistration is not required. Learn more about the Center for Collections and Research.

BATS: Superheroes of the Night

The superheroes of the night exhibition is a 5000-square-foot bat immersion unlike any offered at the Institute of Science ever before. In addition to seeing Malayan Flying Foxes, the largest species of bat in the world, weighing around 2 pounds and boasting 5-6 foot wingspans, hands on activities include the chance to meet a robot bat, study a model of a bat skeleton as big as a human, and get a close up look at specimens of bats from around the world. Learn more about the Watch for special events throughout the exhibit run!

Register Now for Summer Camp

The Institute of Science is looking for curious campers from kindergartners through 10th graders to explore at Cranbrook summer. Join us for unique experiences each week as campers tackle new activities, experiments, and adventures, including a family overnight astronomy option this year. Explore specific dates and camps.